Learn Hardcore Chinese: wǒ yǐwéi zhè gè dìfang hěn yuǎn, qíshí zǒu shí fēnzhōng jiù dào le. - I thought this place was far, but actually it’s only a ten-minute walk.

Yes. 以为 means “to assume/think (but turn out to be wrong).” It almost always sets up a contrast with reality. Here, the second clause with 其实 (“in fact”) reveals the correction.
Compare:

认为: “to be of the opinion that,” neutral, often formal.
想: “to think/feel/want,” casual and not necessarily wrong.
Example: 我以为他不来，结果他来了。= I thought he wouldn’t come, but he did.

Why is there no 是 before 很远? Why not say 这个地方是很远?

Chinese adjectives act like verbs in predicate position, so you normally don’t use 是 before them. You say 这个地方很远 (“this place is far”).
You can use 是 for emphasis/contrast (e.g., 这个地方是很远，但是路很好走), but the neutral description doesn’t take 是.

Does 很 in 很远 really mean “very” here?

Not necessarily. In sentences like 这个地方很远, 很 often works as a neutral linker to make the adjective sound natural, not as “very.”

Neutral description: 很远 ~ “is far.”
Truly “very far”: use stronger adverbs like 非常远, 特别远, or rely on emphasis/context.

Why is 个 used after 这 in 这个地方?

Demonstratives like 这/那 generally need a measure word before a noun. 个 is the default measure, so 这个地方 is standard. In casual speech you may hear 这地方, which is fine colloquially.

What does 就 do in 走十分钟就到了?

就 signals that the result happens sooner or more easily than expected—“in just …”

走十分钟就到了 = “walk for just ten minutes and you’re there.”
Without 就 (走十分钟到了), the sentence feels incomplete or odd; with 就 you get the natural “as soon as/only” nuance.
Contrast: 才 marks “later/slower than expected.”

What is the role of 了 in 就到了? Can I omit it?

Here 了 highlights the arrival as an achieved or imminent change of state. With durations + 就, speakers very often add 了: …就到了 sounds complete and natural.
You do see …就到 (e.g., 坐两站就到) in schedules/promos or more clipped speech. It’s acceptable, but …就到了 is very common in everyday talk.

Is 到 here a verb or something else?

It’s the verb “to arrive.” 到了 = “arrived.” If you add a place, it’s still the verb taking a location: 到家了 (“arrived home”). You can also use it after another verb as a resultative complement (e.g., 走到公园 “walk to the park”).

Why is there no explicit subject in 走十分钟就到了?

Chinese frequently drops obvious subjects. The implied subject is generic “you/we/people.” Context supplies who is doing the walking and arriving.

Does 走 mean “walk” or just “go” here?

Here 走 means “walk/go on foot.” It can also mean “leave” or “go” in other contexts (e.g., 我们走吧 “let’s go/let’s leave”), but in 走十分钟 it specifically describes walking.

Can I say 走路十分钟 or 步行十分钟 instead of 走十分钟?

Yes.

走路十分钟 is equally natural.
步行十分钟 is a bit more formal/bookish.
You can also hear 走十分钟的路 (“a ten-minute walk”).

What’s the difference between 走十分钟 and 走了十分钟?

走十分钟就到了 states a typical/expected duration to reach the place.
走了十分钟就到了 narrates a completed past event: “(We) walked for ten minutes and then arrived.”

Where does the duration phrase go?

The common pattern is Verb + Duration: 走十分钟.
With an object you often see “V + O + V + duration”: 走路走了十分钟 (“walked for ten minutes”). In this sentence there’s no object, so 走十分钟 is perfect.

Is 就到 acceptable, or do I need 就到了?

Both occur. …就到了 is very common and sounds complete in conversational Mandarin. …就到 appears in concise contexts (e.g., maps, signage, schedules: 坐地铁两站就到). Using 了 adds a clearer sense of achieved arrival.

What’s the difference between 地方 and 地点?

地方: general “place” (everyday, informal).
地点: “location/venue” (more formal/specific), e.g., 集合地点 “meeting point.”
There’s also 地方儿 (dìfangr), a Northern/colloquial form.

Pronunciation tips: 地方 and 很远

地方 meaning “place” is typically pronounced dìfang (neutral tone on “fang”).
When “regional/local” (e.g., 地方政府), it’s dìfāng (first tone on “fang”).
很远 undergoes third-tone sandhi: pronounce as “hén yuǎn” (2nd + 3rd).
Other tones: 以为 yǐwéi, 其实 qíshí, 分钟 fēnzhōng, 走 zǒu.

Could I use 但是/不过 instead of 其实?

Yes, but the nuance shifts. 其实 (“in fact/actually”) directly corrects a mistaken assumption. 但是/不过 (“but/however”) show contrast without explicitly signaling that the first idea was wrong.

我以为…，其实… = “I thought…, but in fact… (correction).”
我以为…，但是… = contrast; the corrective flavor is weaker.

How would I say the opposite (it takes longer than expected)?

Use 才 for “later/slower than expected”:

走十分钟才到 = “(You) only arrive after ten minutes” (implying ten minutes feels long).
Compare with 就 (“sooner/easier than expected”): 走十分钟就到(了).

Can I add 能 to say “can arrive” or “will be able to arrive”?

Yes: 走十分钟就能到(了). 能 emphasizes ability/possibility, but it isn’t required. 走十分钟就到(了) already conveys the practical result.